[PBN] insight into McGrady's desire to "shut it down"

thanks for posting!

hope the rest will help.

 

Nice read. Thanks.

I actually think this upcoming stretch might be a good time to give McGrady some rest. You don't want to underestimate any team, but for the next three and a half weeks, the competition level isn't as high as it has been.

Here's the schedule

Nov. 29: vs. San Antonio
Nov. 30: at Denver
Dec. 3: vs. LA Clippers
Dec. 5: vs. Golden State
Dec. 8: at Memphis
Dec. 9: vs. Atlanta
Dec. 12: at Golden State
Dec. 13: at LA Clippers
Dec. 16: vs. Denver
Dec. 19: vs. Sacramento
Dec. 20: at Minnesota
Dec. 22: at New Jersey
Dec. 23: at Cleveland

Without McGrady but with Battier, the Rockets could definitely come out of this stretch with a winning record. We'd probably lose some, but if it means a healthier McGrady later on, it would be worth it.

 

Well it's obvious his teammates fully support his decision. Yao in Orlando alluded to stepping it up for McGrady and now Artest. If they and management don't have no problem with it, I think fans shouldn't have a problem with it either. Hopefully this strategy of shutting it down for a while actually works.

 

great news! i hope tmac can recover properly and come back after all-star break for another 22 or more win streak. and maybe we can finally add the championship to that.

 

Yeah, this is both good and bad news as I see it. On the one hand... we always really need Tracy McGrady-even if it is still very early in the season. I'm not sure of the games ahead in the next month or so, but if the schedule is as tough as it has been we're gonna need all the help we can get to keep up the winning. T-mac, even when he isn't scoring well, keeps defenses honest; he's a playmaker, a leader on the court, and a good defender-for how ever long he sits that presence on the court will be missed.

On the other hand, if this needs to be done now would be the time. If we did have to lose some games due to T-Mac's absence, now, and not down the stretch or in the playoffs, would be the time to do it. We'll probably lose at least one or two games if Tracy sits a couple of weeks or more; however, that trade off becomes worth it if he's able to come back and be 100%.

We've got a pretty good team, and with Shane coming back he'll be able to pick up T-mac's slack (and then some) as far as defense goes. Not to mention that this Rockets team has more players capable of scoring, bench and starters alike, than any team in recent memory. Assuming Yao and Ron can stay healthy, Tracy's offensive output is picked up elsewhere, and T-Mac doesn't sit for longer than a month, maybe a month and a half, I think having Tracy take time off to get healthy is a good long term solution for this team.

If McGrady can come back at or near 100%, put up numbers more like what we've seen in years past, and take over games when he needs to (and like he used to) I say let Tracy get healthy... and let's hope this is the solution to the McGrady health problem this year.

 

clearly mcgrady's not right and if it takes sitting him a month or two to fully heal then we have to do it. we have a legit chance at winning a championship if we can get him to atleast last years level, but if he hobbles the entire season going into the playoffs i think our ceiling is a couple series wins max.

yao is coming around and artest is fitting in more. that's plenty to withstand mcgrady being out and still maintaing a homecourt playoff position.

 

I'm really all for it...hell if anything it might even be a good opportunity for Artest to
gel in with this team. If you guys remember, when Tmac went out last season for those
few weeks, the team chemistry really took a jump, and when Tracy came back the chemistry
was still there. I 100% support giving him some time, but not too much. Maybe something
in the 2-3 weeks neighborhood. Get right Tracy! We're gonna need you strong!

 

The team doctors differ. They say he needs to continue to play to regain strength.

If they're right, then we have to question T-Mac's commitment to the team. If they're wrong, we have to start questioning their competence.

 

McGrady needs to shut it down for a month, this will not be only good for the season, but also his career.

 

The team has talent even with McGrady sitting out. And with Battier coming back, the defense just got that much better!

I've been irking to see Battier and Artest give opposing swing players fits. And with Yao clogging up the middle it will be cool to see.

You rotate Landry, Scola, and Hayes depending on defensive matchups.

Hopefully Barry will find his range.

And Brooks is getting better with each game.


This is a talented squad.

 

QFT. Either we as fans don't know something or one of the sides is in the wrong...

 

What's kind of interesting is that, if you believe what Adelman and the medical staff are saying, Tracy doesn't really need to sit to recover-- they think he can play his way back to full strength, and will take the 70% version of McGrady out there in the mean time because he still helps the team.

It seems that Tracy sitting out may have to do with (1) don't want to be out there on the court playing below his usual standard while working his way back, and preferring instead to recover in private, and (2) perhaps a somewhat paranoid fear (because this is his first major knee surgery) that he could hurt it more while playing.

If this is the case, his return will happen not necessarily when he's back to full strength (whatever that means), but either (1) when he feels right enough to play, or (2) when the team needs him again due to some random injury.

If sitting out helps Tracy clear his head, good.

 

Tracy doesnt look confident out there at all. He knows hes averaging only 15 points (worst since 1999). Hes most likely to sit out.

 

My impression has been that they've said he isn't risking further injury to the knee by playing, not that playing games is the quickest or most effective way for him to regain his strength.

To be honest, that wouldn't even make sense to me. I find it hard to believe that playing basketball would be better for the knee than targeted therapy and exercise, since McGrady can make any physical motion in training that he can make in a game (and then some). Let's not inject undue controversy to the situation.

 

I love T-mac, I think he gets a bad rap for a superstar as he does a lot well.

But I have to be honest, he's clearly somewhat a bit of a headcase when it comes to his body and physical performance.

Let him take it down a bit. Come off the bench. It worked very well last year. He got to take some time off, and presto - he played magnificantly down the strecth.

Let him do it again. We have so much more and the schedule is conducive for it - almost as if the NBA wanted the Rockets to have it easy for a while to rest their old man legs and not have Yao T-mac hurt by playoff time.

I say, let T-mac do what he wants, take time off....go to camp whatakanda, maybe visit Darfur, get mentally healthy, and comeback Jan 1st just like last year!

 

I believe Jonathan Feigen has said that the team doctors feel he's best served continuing to play and gradually building up strength. Obviously the Rockets have an interest in him not missing games, given our history without him playing, so maybe that's spin.

 

Jonathan Feigen has pointed out in his blog that it would probably not be a good idea to have Tmac sit on the bench after warming up because his knee will tighten up. It's probably better to have him start the game and get his minutes in a couple of big chunks.

 

great news.. no use in wearing out his knee further.. it's kinda sad though.. it seems like this could be the last year(s) for him playing considering that rest may not fix his knee

 

That's what I was referring to. Feigen's blog has paraphrased the organization as saying that he can recover by playing without running the risk of further injury, and that he would do so in order to help the team win in the meantime. They did not say that that would recover more quickly by playing in games than he could by training outside of games, so I don't feel that there's a conflict between McGrady's statements and those of the team. Clearly, if McGrady can contribute effectively at the cost of a slight slowing of his recovery, then playing him is probably a wise move. However, if all he can do is stand at the three point arc and wait for the ball, he might be better served to take time off and focus on what he needs to do physically to get his strength back.